The Chicago Police Department’s “code of silence” has led the grand jury to indict three officers accused of conspiracy, obstruction and misconduct in murder investigation of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in October 2014, DNAinfo reports.

Detective David March and patrol officers Joseph Walsh and Thomas Gaffney are facing charges for trying to cover up evidence. The officers were indicted on Tuesday (June 27th) by a prosecutors claiming that the three officers lied, didn’t interview witnesses and tricked investigators in effort to hide what actually occurred.

In a press statement released by Special Prosecutor Patricia Brown Holmes, she stated,” It
is unacceptable to obey an unofficial code of silence. The indictment makes clear that these defendants did more than merely obey an unofficial ‘code of silence,’ rather it alleges that they lied about what occurred to prevent independent criminal investigators from learning the truth.”

The indictment states that Gaffney, Walsh, and March and an unnamed fourth suspect identified as “Individual A,” plotted together after the shooting to “conceal the true facts of the events surrounding the killing of LaQuan [sic] McDonald ….to shield their fellow officer (identified only as Individual A) from criminal investigation and prosecution.”

The officers will report to arraignment on Monday July 10th. If convicted, the officers will face years in prison.